


Overture: Cassiopeia Lancaster and The Colliding Worlds

by shittywriter (Sunshinehina)



Series: Cassiopeia's Rhapsody [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Camp Half-Blood (Percy Jackson), Crossover, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Drama, Gen, Hogwarts, Multi, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2019-08-27 00:48:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16692193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunshinehina/pseuds/shittywriter
Summary: Cassie never thought that she was special. And even now, she still believes that she is not special; it's not her, it's her circumstances. She doesn't like standing out or being a story's protagonist because she knows that bad things happen to protagonists. If she was given a choice, she'd choose to be in the sidelines. However, she wasn't given a choice. So here she was, a Half-Blood who just gotten her Hogwarts acceptance letter. As if being a Half-Blood is not enough difficulty for one lifetime.After all, everyone is the protagonist of their own story.





	1. Finding Home

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Well, to begin, I guess I will explain why I decided to make this. I am a huge fan of both the Harry Potter series and the Percy Jackson series, just like everyone else. So one day the idea crossed my mind and I decided to entertain myself and think of scenarios and… yeah. In the end, I decided that I want to try sharing this to everyone else. Some disclaimers before I begin:  
>   
> 1\. Both Harry Potter and Percy Jackson series are not mine (obviously), they are rightfully owned by J. K. Rowling and Rick Riordan. I am not gaining profit in any way from this series, I’m just writing to entertain myself (and hopefully, other people too)  
> 2\. I am aware that Hogwarts is located in the U.K and Camp Half-Blood in the US, but for the purpose of this series I hope you guys can ignore that and just pretend that the U.K and the US is one country… or just ignore that they’re supposed to be in different countries, please. What I’m asking is... please ignore geography hahaha. I know that there’s Ilvermorny in the US but Harry (and all of the characters) went to Hogwarts and I want to make a OC-insert(?) kind of story so… yeah. Lol  
> 3\. I’m also aware that both series happen in different time (years), the Battle of Hogwarts happened in 1998 and Poseidon claimed Percy as his son in 2005? But for the sake of the series, please assume that both happen in the same time, whatever year it is. Both wizards and half-blood don't really use technology, so I don't think it would matter. (this might change but we'll see)  
> 4\. The main pairing (Harry/Draco/Severus/OC) will not happen until the fourth book. And there will be NO smut because I can't write smut lol it will be the purest relationship hahah.  
> 5\. English is not my first language so I’ll probably make A LOT of grammatical mistakes. I’ll try to re-read and revise before I update but I know that sometimes I might not have the time… so I’m just going to apologize beforehand. Also, You can always correct my grammar, I will be very thankful (and I will edit the story to fix the mistakes as soon as I can).  
> 6\. I’m going to apologize beforehand too if I got anything wrong, not in terms of grammar but other things, such as spells and the names of god and goddesses. I am going to try my best not to make such mistakes, I promise.  
> 7\. The story will not go EXACTLY the same like the two series, this is my take on them. There will be minor and major changes because the main character is Cassiopeia.
> 
> This is my very first Harry Potter (and/or Percy Jackson) fanfiction so please be kind ;_; Kudos and Comment are appreciated!

Even though she has always wanted to be a fairy who keeps bad dreams away (she wasn't sure if there's such fairies, but if there were fairies whose duty is to take kids' baby teeth, then there must've been fairies whose duty was to keep bad dreams away), Cassie always knew that she was a perfectly normal child, albeit a not very lucky one. Her skin was fair, her height and weight was average, her dishwater blonde hair was straight and a little bit long, her eyes were brown—nothing makes her stand out. 

Her father died when she was almost four years old, so she didn't really remember him. Her mother... well, that's a different story altogether. She didn't know anything about her, so she could be alive. However, Cassie knew that even if she was alive, it was not going to change anything. From a very young age, she had learnt that no one wants her, after all. She was taken to the orphanage a week after her father died, her suitcase was filled with the clothes her father has bought her. Other than her clothes, Cassie only owned a necklace her father gave her. Thankfully she got to keep it, unlike her books and toys.

Just like everyone in the orphanage, Cassie has always dreamed of having her own family; with parents who would love her and care for her. She has always been a soft-spoken child. She made friends easily with almost everyone so no one bothers her, not really. Sure, most of the workers didn't really care for the children; they're only there because it's their job. Fortunately, there were people like Ms. McPhee and Ms. Hadley who actually cared for them. Cassie was especially close with Ms. McPhee.

Things started to feel strange when Cassie was 6 years old. She started feeling anxious, like someone was watching her. It was the first time she felt really grateful that she was living in an orphanage where she didn't have her own bedroom; she shared it with five other girls. She thought that she wouldn't be brave enough to sleep around ever since she started feeling nervous and anxious with no apparent reason. She tried telling Ms. McPhee about how she felt. The kind woman had tried to reassure her that she was safe in the orphanage, but that only made Cassie felt like the adult wasn't taking her seriously. Who would blame her? After all, Cassie was only a silly, delusional 6-year-old.

Things only got worse from there as Cassie realized that gardens or parks are not a good place for her to be. And it saddens her because she really enjoy the Sunday mornings when Ms. McPhee and Ms. Barlow usually took them to have a picnic. She seemed to always stumble or fall whenever she went to gardens or parks, and when she turned to see what made her fall she would see vines and plants to be the reason. The ants, bees, butterflies, and even birds disturbed her sometimes. The bees would sting her whenever they can, and the ants will bite her. Strangely, the marks and pain would disappear quickly. Cassie found that other than that, the bees and ants didn't really cause anything else (she thought she would die the first time she got stung by a bee). By the time Ms. Barlow called them to help her tidy up they would be gone.

Cassie was smart, she knew that they would not believe her without proof. So rather than running back and crying, she made sure that she wore long-sleeved clothes and pants, even in summer. She would even put another layer when it was not too hot. She also avoided playing outside as much as she could. As time passed, Cassie felt like going out and participating in the weekly picnic session did nothing but stressing her, so she decided to stop participating in the activity. It wasn't as if everyone was required to participate, so they let her stayed in her room and read. Ms. McPhee would sometime tell her to stop spending time alone and join them outside though, but she managed to stay inside most of the time. Cassie came to a conclusion that she was not good with animals, that's why they were always attacking her.

Unfortunately, she still had to go to school. Cassie tried to make sure that she was always with someone, that she was never alone. She felt wary whenever she was alone. She still felt like someone was following and watching her though, but she felt safer with her friends around.

Six months after Cassie's sixth birthday, they had a new English teacher called Mr. Brown. He was peculiar in a way, but Cassie couldn't describe how. Mr. Brown wore a beanie everday. He was young and he always thought of fun games to play during his classes that would help Cassie and her classmates learn new, complicated vocabularies. this really helped because Cassie had dyslexia. The games and activities really helped her learn better. He wore a strange-scented perfume. Mr. Brown has a kind smile and he always listened to his students. It was break time and a bee just stung Cassie's arm. Used by the pain by now, Cassie was rubbing her arm as she went to class early, hoping that she would be safe from stungs and bites inside.

"Good afternoon, Cassie," Mr. Brown smiled as he greeted her.

"Good afternoon Mr. Brown," Cassie replied.

"Is anything wrong with your arm?" Mr. Brown asked, looking concerned.

"A bee stung me."

"A bee?" Mr. Brown repeated. Cassie nodded. "Do you want me to go with you to the infirmary to get it checked out?"

"It's okay Sir," Cassie said. "I'm used to it."

Mr. Brown opened his mouth to say something, but the bell rang and the other kids started pouring into the class. Cassie took her books and pencil case from her bag and put it on her desk, not realizing that Mr. Brown was still looking at her.

* * *

 

It was raining hard when Cassie realized she was doomed. As she had been doing ever since she turned 6, Cassie always made sure someone was with her. That day, she drank a lot of water so she really had to go to the restroom. Cassie ran as fast as she could to the restroom when the bell rings, indicating that the class was over. However, she forgot to tell her friends who usually walked home with her, so they thought that she had run home ahead of them.

When Cassie went back to class, she found that there was nobody there. Nobody except Mr. Brown, who was still tidying up his papers.

"Hello Cassie," he said kindly when he spotted her standing in the doorway. "Is everything alright?" he asked.

"My friends... they already left," Cassie said. She started feeling scared. Especially because as usual, she felt someone watching and following her this morning.

"Do you want me to accompany you home, Cassie?"

Cassie's head snapped at that, she looked at him in disbelief. "Would—would that be okay?"

"Of course!" Mr. Brown said cheerfully. "Let me get my stuff from the office and we could go."

Cassie nodded. She followed Mr. Brown to the office that was already deserted, just like the classes. Mr. Brown put his papers on his desk and grabbed his bag and jacket. He turned to Cassie and gave her a warm smile.

"Let's go then, Ms. McPhee must be worried about you," He said. Mr. Brown and almost all of her teachers knew Ms. McPhee because she was the one who usually came to get her report card. Cassie walked beside Mr. Brown. The orphanage was only 10 minutes away from the school. "Do you always go home with your friends, Cassie?" Mr. Brown asked.

"Yes," She nodded. "Going home alone is scary."

"Why is that?" Mr. Brown asked.

"I feel like someone is watching and following me," Cassie admitted. "Whenever I turn there would be no one. Everyone told me that I was being ridiculous. But we walk together everyday, to and from school. So I think... maybe they are scared too but they just wouldn't admit it." She added thoughtfully.

The wind started blowing hard and it started raining more. "We should take shelter somewhere, umbrellas won't keep us dry this way." Mr. Brown said as he offered his hand. Cassie took it and they ran towards the nearest building, an abandoned factory.

"This is not good," Cassie heard Mr. Brown muttering to himself and she agreed. It seemed like they rain wasn't going to stop anytime soon. He then turned to Cassie and offered a reassuring smile. "I think we should stay here until the rain dies down a little, okay?"

"Okay," Cassie agreed easily.

That was when Cassie heard something moving behind them, inside the factory.

"Mr. Brown," Cassie whispered. "What was that?"

Silence. "Cassie, I want you to stay behind me and stay close," Mr. Brown said, ignoring Cassie's question. "Do you understand?"

"Yes Sir," Cassie said. Her heart started beating rapidly. Somehow, right now she'd prefer Ms. McPhee who would tell her that it was probably just a rat or something. Mr. Brown looked serious as he scanned the building, so Cassie thought that he definitely wasn't thinking about rats. He was now holding a small sword. Cassie didn't know where he got it.

And then Cassie heard the hissing. The door busted open and Cassie saw the most terrifying creature in her life. She didn't even know what it was; she never saw it in any books. Cassie tried her best not to, but the scream escaped her lips.

"Nope!" Mr. Brown said to no one as he picked Cassie up and ran. Cassie was terrified, but it soon turned into surprise. She didn't know Mr. Brown could run this fast.

"What was that?" Cassie yelled in his ears in an attempt to beat the sound of rain, which was still pouring hard. Both the rain and the wind haven't subsided. Both Cassie and Mr. Brown couldn't care less. As far as Cassie was concerned, she didn't mind getting soaked as long as there wasn't any snake... woman.

"Gorgons!" Mr. Brown screamed, not slowing down. Cassie looked back, trying to see if it was chasing them. Because of the rain, she could only see the faint outline of the monster.

"It's still chasing us!" Cassie yelled.

"I know!"

Mr. Brown kept running. Cassie wasn't sure where they were heading, but she was sure it wasn't to the orphanage. Perhaps Mr. Brown knew someplace safer. After a few minutes, Mr. Brown started slowing down. He took her to a bus stop. Mr. Brown put Cassie down as he was trying to catch his breath, scanning their surroundings. Cassie did the same. They were in another part of the city, further to the orphanage than the school.

"This is really, really not good," she heard Mr. Brown mumble.

"Mr. Brown?"

"Cassie," Mr. Brown kneeled before her. "I know that this must be confusing, but I need you to trust me. Do you trust me, Cassie?"

Cassie nodded. Of course she trusted her teacher. He's her teacher. Plus, he just saved her from a monster. Cassie shuddered at the thought.

"What's a gorgon, Sir?" She asked.

Mr. Brown flinched as if the question hurt him physically. Cassie was about to apologize but he cut her. "I will explain to you, but not here. It's not safe." He said, looking around once again as if he was afraid the Gorgon was going to pop out anytime. "I know somewhere safe, but it is quite far from here. We are going there."

"But... what about the orphanage?" Cassie tilted her head. "Ms. McPhee would be angry because I'm super late already."

"The orphanage isn't safe for you anymore, Cassie." Mr. Brown said sadly.

"You mean... you mean I can't go back there? Ever again?" Cassie asked in disbelief. Ms. McPhee had told her and the other kids to not go anywhere with strangers. Mr. Brown was not a stranger, though; and Cassie trusted him. Not only because of the things she had mentioned, but also because she felt like someone was telling her to. Her guts was telling her to.

"Not anytime soon." Mr. Brown said carefully.

Cassie thought about it. She will definitely miss Ms. McPhee and Ms. Hadley. She will miss her friends, too. She was grateful that she always wore the necklace her father gave, if she'd left it she would need to go and grab it, because she cannot leave the only thing she had left from her father.

"Okay," Cassie said sadly. "But can I visit one day?"

Mr. Brown patted her head and answered with a smile. "Of course." He offered his hand and Cassie took it.

* * *

 

_"A 6-year-old?" Cassie heard someone asked. She fell asleep in the bus, someone was carrying her. A familiar smell. Like Mr. Brown's perfume. "She's even younger_ _“A 6-year-old?” Cassie heard someone asked. She fell asleep in the bus, someone was carrying her. A familiar smell. Like Mr. Brown’s perfume. “She’s even younger than Annabeth!”_

_“I know,” Mr. Brown said. He was the one carrying her. “I thought I was looking for someone older, but it was her.”_

_“Chiron isn’t going to be happy,” the other person said._

_Cassie drifted back to sleep._

* * *

 

She was somewhere comfortable. Cassie opened her eyes to find herself in a comfy-looking living room. Her clothes were still damp, but there was a fireplace that made the room warm. Cassie watched the fire dancing and smiled. She had always loved fire. She always felt safe whenever she was near them.

"You're awake," A voice said, startling the little girl. Cassie turned to see a kind-looking man in a wheelchair. "Hello, Cassiopeia."

"Hello," Cassie said quietly. "Um, where's Mr. Brown?" she asked warily.

"He went to get you some clothes to change," The man said. "I'm sorry, you must be confused. I'm Chiron."

"Nice to meet you Mr. Chiron, I'm Cassie." Cassie said. "Is this the safe place Mr. Brown was talking about?" She then asked.

"Yes. You're safe here, Cassie."

"No gorgons?"

Mr. Chiron smiled sadly. "No gorgons."

Cassie returned the gesture. "Okay!"

* * *

 

To say that things were not confusing would be a lie. However, it was much easier for Cassie to believe because she had seen a gorgon with her own eyes. She was only six when she came (" _I'm almost seven!_ " she protested whenever anyone mentioned her age.), so it was not hard for her to believe. At least, not as hard as other kids who came to the camp when they're twelve.

Annabeth was thrilled when she first met Cassie. She saw her as her own little sister, they were inseparable ever since Chiron introduced them. Luke and the other campers warmed up to the little girl quickly, she seemed to have something that made it easy for her to get along with everyone. Even the kids from Cabin Five. Even Mr. D undeniably had a soft spot for Cassie, which confused Annabeth to no end. 

Because both of them were young, none of the gods claimed them as their child yet, so Annabeth and Cassie was put into the Hermes cabin. Cassie and Annabeth didn't have any problem with that, they were glad that they got to be in the same cabin (and Luke's there) except for the fact that the cabin is a little bit overpopulated. Used to sharing at the orphanage, Cassie didn't mind at all. She knew that there was a possibility of her being a child of a minor god, or of... whoever but they just didn't want to claim her. She was fine with that. She felt right at home in Cabin Five.

On Annabeth's tenth birthday, Cassie baked her cake. Cassie had a talent for cooking (and baking, and anything food related including eating) so she always tried to bake cakes whenever it was someone's birthday. Of course, she couldn't bake for every single birthday, so she'd miss some's birthday. But ever since she learned how to bake, she never missed Annabeth's, Luke's, Chiron's and Kafe's (Mr. Brown's real name) birthdays.

Two days after Annabeth's tenth birthday, she was claimed by Athena. Annabeth was thrilled, and Cassie was thrilled for her sister. Cassie thought that it made sense; if Annabeth was going to be the daughter of any god or goddess, it's going to be Athena. Cassie didn't understand why she didn't reach that conclusion earlier. Annabeth's smile faded when she realised that Cassie hasn't been claimed and that they would have to bunk in different cabins from then on.

"You're looking at me as if we aren't going to see each other again," Cassie said with a hint of humour in her voice. "We're just bunking in different cabins, Anna." Cassie was the only person who can call Annabeth Anna. She didn't like it when others made nicknames for her, she thinks Annabeth sounds better than any nicknames anyone could think of. However, Cassie was an exception.

"You're right," Annabeth smiled. "I'm sure you will get claimed soon."

Annabeth was usually right, but this time she was wrong. Cassie was claimed almost two years later, 8 months after her tenth birthday. She had just finished eating dinner and was just chatting with her fellow cabin mates when they gasped.

"What?" Cassie asked.

Alice pointed above her head while she was gaping.

Cassie look up to see a fiery red sign, slightly fading but was still clear enough. Cassie spent the year in Camp Half-Blood learning how to stay alive just like everyone else, she also learnt everything she could about mythology. She knew precisely who the sign belonged to, and in all honesty, she didn't see this coming.

"Hestia," Chiron said, his voice quieter than usual. "Goddess of the Hearth, Architecture, Home, and Family. Guardian of Elpis. Hail Cassiopeia Lancaster, Daughter of Hestia."

* * *

 

**p.s I am aware that Hestia is supposed to be a virgin goddess.**

 


	2. Explanations and Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What is it?" Castor who was sitting beside her asked, peeking.
> 
> "An acceptance letter," Cassie answered as she kept staring at the first word on the letter, Hogwarts. She then went to read the rest of the letter, the more she read, she became more confused. By now, both Castor and Pollux, Cassie's only cabin mates, were reading the letter with her.
> 
> "What does that mean?" Pollux frowned as he scanned the letter.
> 
> "It means," Cassie turned to see an unknown woman in black robes standing behind her who definitely wasn't there a second ago. "That you have some shopping to do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to update today. Like I said, please ignore geography and think of the UK and US as one country, located in one continent and all that~ lol.  
> I'm not sure anyone's reading my story, but if someone does, thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it :D (even though--I must admit--that this is a pretty shitty story with a lot of nonsense lmao).

Of all the gods and goddesses, her immortal parent is Hestia, the Goddess of the Hearth. The Goddess of the Hearth who was supposed to be a _virgin_ goddess. Cassie was sure that was the reason why everyone seemed baffled when she was claimed, after all it’s not as if her mother is one of the Big Three, she wasn’t even an Olympian because she had given her seat to Mr. D. Well, at least it is now clear why Cassie was well-liked by everyone; Hestia was one of the peaceful goddesses. She is well-liked because of her emphatic and kind nature.

Cassie did not know how to feel. She was glad that Hestia cared enough to claim her, yes. But it didn’t change anything because there was no Cabin for Hestia’s children. Virgin goddess and all that, remember? Plus, she’s not an Olympian, not anymore. So Cassie would probably stay in Cabin Five. She was also worried because of the fact that her mother was supposed to be a virgin goddess. She swore herself to perpetual virginity, so she broke her vow; Her mother had rejected both Poseidon and Apollo before, too. What does that mean for her? Was she in trouble? Was her mother in trouble? Cassie hoped they weren’t in trouble.

Hestia was also the only goddess she had ever seen. She had seen her from afar, sitting by the fire in the middle of commons area. The first time Cassie saw her, she thought she was the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen; with her brown eyes and brown hair. Cassie felt calm by just looking at her. However, every time she thought of approaching the goddess, someone always came in her way, distracting her and making her forget to. She did not know that it was Hestia at first, but Kafe told him when she asked. Questions were running through Cassie’s head. Why claim her now? How did she meet her father? Why didn’t she tell her before? Are they in any trouble?

“Cassiopeia,” she heard a strangely familiar voice said. Hestia was standing behind her, popping out of nowhere. “Come have a walk with me.”

Cassie stared at her and nodded. She had been living in Camp Half-Blood for almost five years and yet this was the first time they’d talked to each other. Her fellow campers were still staring. Cassie caught Annabeth’s eyes as she stood up and followed her mother. Hestia led her to the Canoe Lake and they walked alongside each other in silence.

“Please forgive me,” Hestia said suddenly. Cassie turned to look at her. “I have been avoiding you.”

Cassie looked at the goddess, trying to analyze her. “It’s okay.”

“I was afraid to face you, Cassiopeia, for I do not know what to say. There are a lot of things...”

“Cassie,” Cassie said. “Please call me Cassie. No one calls me Cassiopeia, except Chiron when I am in trouble.”

For the first time that night, Cassie saw her mother smile. “Of course, Cassie.”

“Are we... in trouble, mom?” she asked. “You’re supposed to be... I mean, from what I know, you’ve sworn yourself to perpetual virginity.” Cassie explained when she saw Hestia raising her eyebrows.

“Indeed.” Hestia said. “We are not in any trouble, at least not currently.”

Cassie blinked. “Really?” Her mother just looked at her with an amused smile. “But... you broke—how about Poseidon and Apollo?”

Hestia raised her eyebrows once again. “You will find that they won’t cause you any trouble, my daughter.”

Cassie opened her mouth to contradict her mother, but she finally understood. “It wasn’t them,” she mumbled. “It was some guy... Priapus? Is that his name? The one who tried to rape you?” Hestia nodded. “He was the one who sent the bees and ants and birds... wasn’t he?”

Hestia grimaced. “I’m sorry that you had to experience that. I will have a conversation with him sometime soon.” She said.

"Oh," Cassie said, not sure what to say. They walked in silence for a few minutes. Cassie liked how calming the lake looked at night. She could just sit and stare at it all night long. Sometimes, Cassie and Annabeth liked strolling by the lake after dinner, too, to digest their dinner and to just talk about everything. Cassie suspected that was why Hestia chose to talk to her there.

"Your eleventh birthday is approaching," Hestia broke the silence. "Things will change once you are eleven."

Cassie stopped walking, she didn't like how that sounded. "What do you mean?"

Hestia stopped and turned to her. "Your father was a wonderful man," she began. "I never thought that any man would made me change my mind about men, but he did. He was a very special man." She continued. Cassie didn't say anything, urging her to continue. "He was... one of the mortals that could see through the Mist. At least, that's what I thought."

"Do you know why I swore myself to perpetual virginity, Cassie?" Hestia asked.

Cassie nodded. She knew, more or less.

Hestia diverted her gaze towards the lake. "I do not like how men ruin women, and I do not like unfaithfulness. I do not want to subject myself to such things. Men can do such horrible things. My Father is a prime example. My family, as much as I love them, are grear examples as well." She said. "But your father changed my mind. He was the only man who could. And he is going to be the only man who can."

Cassie was surprised. "Does that mean... I'm your only... child?" She asked.

"You are." Hestia confirmed.

"What's going to change once I turn eleven?"

Hestia sighed, she was still staring at the lake. "I was wrong. Your father, he could see through the Mist, but he wasn't a regular mortal."

"What... what do you mean?"

"He bears the Blessing of Hecate." Hestia admitted. That didn't ring a bell. Cassie didn't know what that meant and she felt embarrassed. After all, she wanted her mother to have a good impression of her. "It is not something everyone talks about. Most do know, except demigods. Most demigods are not aware of this, as it happened decades ago and almost no demigods was involved. No one recorded it. " Hestia explained. "The Blessing of Hecate can be inherited through blood. I did not realize that your father bore it, because the Blessing did not emerge. His kind calls him a squib."

In all honesty, this was too much for Cassie. She really wanted to say _hold on a sec, please don't continue. I still haven't gotten used to the fact that I am your daughter, and now you're saying that I am also related to another goddess?_ But she didn't want to test her mother's patience, so she stayed quiet.

"It does not mean that you are related to Hecate," Hestia explained, looking amused. "It's just that you bear her Blessing, inherited from your father."

"Okay, um, what does that entail?" was Cassie's brilliant response.

"It means that you can do magic, Cassie. Much like Hecate's children. And when you turn 11, they will invite you to their world." 

* * *

 

Chiron explained everything to Cassie and Annabeth that night. Annabeth wouldn't miss if for the world, of course. Right after Cassie was done talking to her mother for the very first time, she came and demanded Cassie to tell her everything. Not that Cassie has any problem with that; they tell each other everything.

_There was a time when Hecate was very fond of mortals. Why, no one knew for sure. Chiron said it might have been because she values their nature, but it was also because they worshipped her back in the day. Either way, she was fond of human. She wanted to give them a gift, much like Prometheus, but she thought that it would not be wise to give it to every man. So she finally decided to give her Blessing to a select few, which was chosen randomly so that it would be fair. Everything was fine at the beginning. Hecate watched the mankind experiment and learn about her magic proudly. It didn't take long for problems to emerge._

_Someone started spreading the idea that they are better than regular mortals, they even made up names for them--they call the regular mortals muggles and themselves witches and wizards, as they were able to use magic. The idea soon turned into something more; a movement, and soon a good portion of them started acting on it. This saddens Hecate, she gave them her Blessing so that they would advance, not the other way around. The other gods, especially the Olympians, started making a problem out of Hecate's decision then. Hecate tried ensuring them, making them believe that not all mortals are bad, that she didn't make the wrong decision. However, her chosen people didn't do anything to support her arguments; if anything, they made everything worse._

_Every time the movement died down, someone would start it again. It was almost as if the witches and wizards were never content with what they have, always wanting to climb higher, to be more. Hecate, disappointed and angered because the mortals had turned her Blessing into something foul and racist, decided to isolate them, put them into seclusion so that they would not be able to damage anything other than their themselves. With the help of Mnemosyne, the goddess of remembrance and memory, she wiped their memory about the existence of the god and goddesses and everything related to that. The other gods supported Hecate, as they have always been skeptical of those mortals, and the council banned contact with them. Just like regular mortals, they were in a separate world now, as they should be. Hecate took their ability to see through the Mist to some extent, however they could still see some creatures their kind were especially familiar with (goblins, elves, centaurs, giants and some minor monsters, to name a few). The creatures knew about the existence of god and goddesses, however because of the rule they were banned to tell the wizards._

_Time passed. Hecate watched the mortals she blessed passively, she saw the same thing happening over and over again. It was indeed a cycle. Somewhere along the way, her fondness towards mortals have turned into dislike, and the dislike turned into hatred. However, she could not take back what she had given. So she settled for ignoring them._

_And then came a boy named Tom Riddle, and he made everything much, much worse. Hecate had seen it over and over again, the cycle of Dark Lords rising to power, and yet this time it was slightly different. Hecate watched in horror as the boy fiddled with the darkest magic and spit on Death. Sure, she was the goddess of magic, and magic allows her and her children to do a lot of things that sometimes collided with the other gods’ and goddesses' domain. However, no one touches Hades' domain. Mortality, life and death were not something anyone could play with. But here he was, Tom Riddle might as well spit on Thanatos' face and gave him the finger; because what he did was unforgivable. Hades was angry and Thanatos was furious. Hecate was called before the council. There had been attempts to cheat death by witches and wizards before, which annoyed Thanatos to no end, but no one has ever succeeded (Nicholas Flamel was a different story). Hecate didn't know what to say to defend her chosen people; she wasn't even sure that she wanted to defend them. Not anymore._

_Hecate admitted that she was wrong, that the gift was a grave, grave mistake. The council punished her, but with nothing too bad. She had to be Hermes' helper for 50 years. At least it wasn't as bad as Prometheus' punishment, considering Hecate fucked up as badly._

" _I am going to let Thanatos do whatever he wants," Hades declared. "What?" He asked when Athena and Hera sent him a skeptical look. "They played with his domain much too often! It is not a surprise that he finally cracked!"_

_"I cannot argue with that," Zeus sighed. "Fine, let Thanatos do what he must." He said._

_Hades grinned. Hecate didn't like how that sounded, however she couldn't care less--she had 50 years of labor waiting for her._  

* * *

 

"So what? They are cursed or something?" Cassie asked. "Wonderful. Just wonderful. And I have their blood in my veins--wait, does that mean that I got the curse too? What did Thanatos decide to do?" She turned to Chiron, eyes begging for answer.

"He made a prison for them," He said. "For all of them, all of the souls that bear the Blessing of Hecate. Even those who went to Elysium. He pulled them back and put them into the prison."

"What, so everyone who bear the Blessing are cursed to go to the prison now, regardless of what they did during their life?" Annabeth asked in disbelief.

Chiron nodded grimly.

"That's ridiculous! What—does that apply to Cass too?"

"I'm afraid so." Chiron said.

That was the last string. Cassie stood up and ran out of the building. She ran to the Half-Blood Hill, only stopping once she reached the peak.

“Mom,” She called quietly, knowing that no matter how quiet she said it Hestia would be able to hear her. She’s a goddess, after all. Hestia appeared before her. “So that’s it then? I’m cursed to go to Thanatos’ prison when I die, just like that?” She hissed.

Hestia shook her head. “Of course not,” She assured. “I will not let that happen to you, Cassie.”

Cassie was about to start yelling because of her frustration; it took her a few seconds to process that Hestia’s answer was not what she expected. “Wait, what?”

“I will not let that happen to you, Cassie. I am fairly sure that the other gods and goddesses will support me...if you can stay away from trouble.”

“Mom, Demigods are basically magnets for trouble!” Cassie snapped in response. She didn’t lose control easily, however she just figured out that she was doomed, so it was definitely okay for her to snap.

“What I meant was, try not to make any god or goddess your enemy, specifically the Olympians.” Hestia explained, not losing her temper.

That stopped her. It made sense.

Cassie took a deep breath. She might have hope after all. “...Okay,” She finally mumbled. “I’m sorry I snapped, Mom.”

Hestia smiled gently and patted her head. “It is alright.”

Cassie blinked and returned the smile. She might be one of the luckiest Demigod, she thought. Her mother was awesome. Other gods would’ve turned her to dusts for shouting at them. But then she thought of something.

"Wait," She said. "You said Dad bears the Blessing of Hecate, but it didn't manifest in him. Is he... he's not in the prison, isn't he?"

"He's there." Hestia said sadly.

Cassie felt like she had been punched. "But that's--that's not fair! It's like he got... the worst of both worlds." she said. "Why didn't you help him?" Cassie demanded. "If you can save me,  then you can save him too, can't you?"

Hestia shook her head. "I'm afraid it is not that simple, my Child." 

Cassie wanted to ask  _why_ , she felt anger and sadness growing inside her. However, if there was anything she'd learned about the gods, it was the fact that nothing is ever simple with them. So she decided to let it go this time. She didn't want to fight with her mother.

"But Chiron said that Zeus banned contact with them." Cassie said. "You're in trouble, aren't you? Because you came in contact with Dad?"

"I should be," Hestia agreed. "The council called me and I spoke before them. Because the Blessing did not manifest on your father, I had no way of knowing. I wouldn't have approached him if I knew. Blood magic is not in my domain." She explained. "So the Council has pardoned me."

Cassie did not know what to say. She was glad Hestia was not in any trouble, though.

"Being on friendly terms with everyone has its perks, Cassie. Being kind is never a weakness, it is a strength."

* * *

 

       Cassie had four months before her birthday, so she set up a mission of researching as much as she could about the Wizarding World. Too bad for her, there was barely anything as the banning of contact happened hundreds of years ago.

       “I don’t like this,” Cassie groaned as she closed the book she’d been reading. Annabeth was helping her with the research, and they found absolutely nothing. “It’s like going into a battle blindfolded.”

       “I know,” Annabeth sighed. The two have always spent most of their time together ever since they knew each other, however ever since Chiron told them about what happened with Hecate, Annabeth barely left Cassie. They were literally inseparable. Cassie was moved into Cabin Twelve as requested of Mr. D. Annabeth suspected that the reason must be because Hestia had given her seat to Mr. D, so it was because of him she didn’t have any Cabin (even though there was the factor of swearing to perpetual virginity as well), so Mr. D kindly asked Cassie to move to Cabin Twelve. Cassie agreed reluctantly, seeing how cramped Cabin Five was. More demigods have been coming to Camp Half-Blood.

       Cassie must have been the number one demigod who spends her time with her immortal parent; Hestia was almost always at the Camp. They talked a lot, and Cassie was delighted that her mother seemed to enjoy spending time with her. She asked her to tell her about the Wizarding World, however her mother told her that someone will come to explain everything about the Wizarding World when she turned eleven. Four months never felt so long.

       Cassie had fun on her birthday. They sang her Happy Birthday right after midnight stroke; Annabeth attempted to make her a birthday cake, which tasted worse than it looked (Cassie told Annabeth it was delicious, though) but Hestia also baked a cake for her and it was the most delicious cake Cassie has ever tasted. It was then she was reminded that her mother was an excellent cook. Cassie was thinking that it was the best 15th of May ever when she got a visit.

In all honesty, Cassie didn't know how the witches and wizards were going to 'invite her to their world' once she turned eleven. The answer to that was with owls. When Cassie was eating on Cabin Twelve's table when an owl flew above her and dropped a letter right in front of her. Cassie blinked.

"Um," she said smartly.

She opened the letter and read the first page.

 

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Ms. Lancaster,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry](http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Hogwarts_School_of_Witchcraft_and_Wizardry). Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on[1 September](http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/1_September). We await your owl by no later than [31 July](http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/31_July)._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

 

"Uh," she said.

"What is it?" Castor who was sitting beside her asked, peeking.

"An acceptance letter," Cassie answered as she kept staring at the first word on the letter, Hogwarts. She then went to read the rest of the letter, the more she read, she became more confused. By now, both Castor and Pollux, Cassie's only cabin mates, were reading the letter with her.

"What does that mean?" Pollux frowned as he scanned the letter.

"It means," Cassie turned to see an unknown woman in black robes standing behind her who definitely wasn't there a second ago. "That you have some shopping to do."

 

 

 

 

 


	3. I Went Shopping with A Goddess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update!

Cassie stared at the woman. Most campers were doing the same thing. She had black hair and black eyes. Her voice was stern and her face was void of emotion. She stared at Cassie as if she was waiting for her to say something. Cassie had never seen the woman before, but she had a good guess. “Lady Hecate.” Cassie greeted. The woman nodded.

“Come,” Hecate said. “I shall show you their world.”

Cassie wondered whether she still holds the hatred she had towards the witches and wizards. She nodded and stood up, and then suddenly they weren’t in Camp Half-Blood anymore. A gasp escaped Cassie's mouth, she had been with Hecate for two seconds and she’d startled the heck out of her twice. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to survive the rest of the day.

They were standing on a hill, Cassie could see a huge castle from afar.

She turned to Hecate. “I’m sorry but... where are we, exactly?”

“This is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,” Hecate said. “Your school.”

“Oh,” Cassie responded. “That’s... cool.” She added meekly.

Hecate looked right into her eyes. “You are aware of what happened.” Cassie nodded. “To be honest, I do not want anything to do with them. However, some things have changed. Your mother asked me to tell you about their world, as I am most familiar with them, compared to any other gods.”

The goddess turned to look at Hogwarts. Cassie did the same thing. The school—the castle, looked pretty from afar. Cassie couldn’t believe that her school is in a castle. She genuinely thought that it was cool.

“A prophecy was made years ago,” Hecate continued suddenly. “Tom Riddle heard part of it, and acted to counter it.” Cassie huffed and thought that it wasn’t a wise move, and Hecate nodded as if she could read her mind. “And he was defeated, at least for now. You are aware of the fact that Riddle cheated Death?” Cassie nodded slowly. It was what had doomed her, after all. “What I am going to tell you must be kept as a secret, at least for the time being. Do you understand, Cassiopeia?”

“Yes,” Cassie said, shifting uncomfortably. The use of her full name had always made her uncomfortable because it reminded her of all the time Chiron had yelled at her whenever she and Annabeth (read:  _mostly Annabeth_ ) were causing trouble.

“Riddle created Horcruxes,” Hecate said with a grim voice. Cassie stayed silent, waiting for her to elaborate because she had no idea what 'Horcruxes' were. “To put it simply, he split his soul and hide them in inanimate objects in order to attain immortality.”

Cassie started to understand why everyone thought what Riddle did was unforgivable. She wondered how anyone could split their soul.

“In order to split his soul, one has to do the supreme act of evil; he had to deliberately commit murders,” Hecate explained. Cassie was now positively horrified. “Such act damages mortal souls. After his soul is damaged, he used magic to attach and hide the fragments of his soul in objects.”

This was it. This was Tom Riddle’s gravest mistake, one that cost every single mortal who bore Hecate’s blessing their soul. It was legitimately unfair; however, Cassie wasn't surprised that Hades and Thanatos were pissed off. “You said Horcruxes... How many?”

“He meant to create six,” Hecate said sadly. “However, he accidentally created seven.”

Cassie couldn’t imagine how one could  _accidentally_  create something that required a supreme act of evil. Tom Riddle must’ve been a very, very horrible person.

“That was almost eleven years ago, and that action was his downfall. When Riddle cast the killing curse, a mother protected her child, which caused the spell to rebound.” Hecate continued. “He is currently... looking for ways to get a new, physical body. To return to life.”

Cassie gulped. “Why can’t I tell anyone about this?”

The goddess turned and finally looked at her again. “Because it is necessary for you to know.” She said. “However, no one in the Wizarding World knows about this. Some of them will. However, they will find out on their own and at the right time.”

“Why is it necessary for me to know this?”

Hecate paused. “Too much knowledge could be dangerous, and I would not be doing anyone any good if I tell you what’s going to happen.” She said stiffly. “Now come, I will help you get your school supplies.”

Once again, the goddess teleported them somewhere Cassie didn’t recognize. They appeared in front of a pub that was located between a record store and a bookshop. It looked a little bit shabby, but Cassie didn’t say anything.

“One of the places where you can get your supplies at is Diagon Alley. This is Leaky Cauldron.” Hecate gestured towards the pub. “It is where the entrance to Diagon Alley is located.” She explained. And then, without saying anything, the goddess proceeded to get into Leaky Cauldron. Cassie followed her quietly.

The inside of the pub was grubby. Cassie spotted stairs that would lead them to the second floor. Some of the people inside the pub threw them a look when they came in, however, after realizing that they didn’t recognize them, they continued drinking or doing whatever they were doing before Cassie and Hecate went in. Hecate led her out to the courtyard, which confused Cassie because there was nothing there. Well, there was a dustbin. Cassie hoped that the entrance to Diagon Alley isn’t through the dustbin. When Hecate approached the dustbin, Cassie drew her breath. Thankfully, Hecate didn’t turn to her and say  _“well, this is the entrance to Diagon Alley, jump into the dustbin, Cassiopeia!”_ because Cassie would probably tell her that she’d rather  _not_  go to Hogwarts. Instead, Hecate tapped the wall behind the dustbin three times, and then a strange thing happened.

Sure, Cassie was a Demigod. Her mother was the goddess of the hearth, she’d seen strange things. However, this was new. After Hecate tapped the wall, the brick she tapped started to wriggle, and then a small hole appeared in the middle. The hole grew wider and wider, and before Cassie realized, there was an archway on to a cobbled street in front of them.

“Wicked,” Cassie whispered in awe.

“Let’s get some Wizard money first,” Hecate said as she led her through the street. “You can get money from Gringotts, the Wizards’ Bank.”

Cassie nodded as she looked around. She was busy looking at everything. Everything was just—peculiar. Cassie didn’t go out of the camp that often, however, she’d decided that Diagon Alley was one of her favorite places. There were so many things to see! There were stores selling Cauldrons, Quills, Broomsticks _—“the wizards and witches use broomsticks as one of their methods of transportation,”_   _Hecate explained._  Oh gods, Cassie thought that was just how children storybooks writer imagined it would be, she never imagined that they actually do use broomsticks! Annabeth would laugh at her.

“Your father left you a decent amount of money,” Hecate said suddenly. That made Cassie stop and turned her full attention on the goddess.

“My  _father_?”

“Yes,” Hecate said. “The necklace you are wearing is the key to your vault at Gringotts.”

Cassie’s hand hovered over her necklace impulsively. She had been wondering how she’d be able to buy the supplies she needed for Hogwarts, she considered asking her mother but she wasn’t sure if Hestia would’ve given her any money? And then she just forgot. To her defense, Hecate showed up without any warning. So, of course, Cassie wasn’t prepared.

“The goblins run Gringotts,” Hecate explained before they went in. Cassie nodded and followed the goddess inside. Right after they went in, a goblin approached them and bowed to Hecate.

“M-my Lady, it is an honor to have you here,” he said. Cassie looked around and realized that all of the goblins there literally stopped their activity to bow to Hecate. The wizards and witches inside just stared at them curiously. Cassie remembered that even though the witches and wizards were not aware of the existence of her world, the other creatures do. “My name is Bogrod, and I will assist you today. What can I help you with?” The goblin who approached them asked respectfully.

“Ms. Lancaster would like to go to her vault,” Hecate said.

“Certainly,” The goblin turned to Cassie and decided to bow to her to make her uncomfortable. “Do you have your key with you, Ms. Lancaster?”

Cassie took her necklace off and handed it to Bogrod. “Right this way, please.” Hecate and Cassie followed the goblin. He led them to an elevator. Cassie didn’t miss how no one else was led to the elevator. She was sure that it was some kind of a VIP treatment because she was with a goddess.

The elevator went down and then went sideways, which was a little bit weird. Cassie almost fell because she wasn’t holding onto anything; Hecate wasn’t holding onto anything either but she didn’t even budge, she was just standing beside Cassie, standing gracefully as if the elevator wasn't moving. It’s been so long since Cassie saw (and used) an elevator, perhaps now they were upgraded so that they could go sideways.

The door opened and Bogrod led them through the hallway. The goblin finally stopped in front of one of the huge, old-looking doors (all of the doors looked like that) and opened it using Cassie’s key. The door revealed a huge pile of gold, which made Cassie’s jaw drop. Because this was Wizarding money, she didn’t know how valuable they were. She wasn't sure how much she should get. She looked up to Hecate in askance. Hecate handed her a little bag.

“The gold ones are called Galleons,” She explained. “Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle. A couple hundred Galleon should be more than enough for your first year.”

“Um, okay,” Cassie said uncertainly. Before she said anything else, Bogrod offered to do it for her, which Cassie was grateful about. The goblin worked quickly, he didn’t seem to be counting as he moved Galleons into Cassie’s little bag. Cassie started to wonder how the bag could hold all those Galleons, however, she remembered that Hecate was the goddess of magic. Seeing how Bogrod wasn’t confused about it either, Cassie assumed that little bags that can hold more than it looks like were common in the Wizarding world. It would be cool if she could own some of that, Cassie was sure that going to quests would be so much easier. Annabeth would envy her.

After Bogrod was done, he handed the little bag to Cassie and Cassie put it into her normal backpack.

“I would like to give Ms. Lancaster access to my vault,” Hecate said suddenly, startling both Cassie and Bogrod. Bogrod seemed to be jumpy whenever Hecate addressed him, but he was undeniably surprised by the request as well. Cassie wanted to ask Hecate why, but she decided that it wasn't the right time.

“Of course, My Lady,” Bogrod said. He then led them back to the Main Hall. He left them for not even a minute and when he came back, he returned Cassie’s necklace.

“I have keyed in Ms. Lancaster’s key to your vault, My Lady,” Bogrod said. “And if special circumstances arise that made her unable to show her key, she would still be able to access the vault.”

“Very well. Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Bogrod.” Hecate said.

“Thank you,” Cassie seconded.

“It was my pleasure.” The goblin bowed once again.

Hecate nodded and led Cassie out.

“Why did you give me access to your vault?” Cassie asked as soon as they stepped out of the Bank.

“I have no need for it,” Hecate said dismissively. “It will be more useful to you. You can do whatever you want with it.”

Cassie was still confused, but she decided to not pester the goddess. She wasn’t sure how much exactly was in her own vault, but it looked like it would be enough until she was of legal age. She also didn’t know how much was in Hecate’s vault (and  _why_  Hecate has a vault in Gringotts to begin with), but she was sure that there will be something inside, at the very least. Or maybe she was trolling her and Cassie would find an empty vault. Who knows.

After their visit to Gringotts, Hecate accompanied Cassie to buy the rest of the supplies. They went to get her robes and uniforms, Quills and Parchments, Cauldrons, and everything written on the list. When they went to the bookstore, Cassie bought every book listed and some extra books that intrigued her. She even asked the bookstore owner to recommend some extra books she could read to help her in Hogwarts, which he did happily. Cassie was positive that she had bought too many books; however, she couldn’t help herself. After four months of searching for information with zero results, seeing a bookstore full of all the knowledge about the Wizarding World was too tempting to pass. Annabeth would’ve done the same thing if she was Cassie. Cassie also bought a trunk and a backpack, which had an undetectable extension charm. Cassie was thrilled.

After she bought everything, Hecate told her that she should probably buy an owl if she wished, as it was how wizards and witches contact each other; they use owls to deliver letters. That was pretty awesome, though not a very convenient way of communicating. Cassie agreed to buy one nevertheless because having an owl would be cool and she definitely would want to write letters to her friends at the Camp. Demigods and electronic doesn’t mix well. Especially phones.

They went to the Eeylops Owl Emporium – Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown and Snowy. Cassie was awed by the beautiful owls. In the end, she settled for a beautiful looking owl 

"It’s a Barn Owl,” the shopkeeper told her. “I’ll give you him for 10 Galleons.”

Cassie nodded and told him that she's going to get the Barn Owl. She named him Ash. She also bought a lot of owl treats and food, as well as other supplies needed to take care of Ash. Satisfied, she went outside the store with Ash in his cage.

“You need a wand,” Hecate said.

“Okay,” Cassie said. “Which store should I get it from?”

Hecate didn’t answer, instead, she stared at her calculatingly. It only lasted for a few seconds, however, it felt much longer to Cassie. She wanted to look away but the goddess held her gaze. “You will not get it from a store. Come.”

And then they were at the Half-Blood Hill. Hecate stretched her hand forward, the palm facing the sky. A wand appeared above her palm.

“Your wand,” She said.

For a few seconds, Cassie just stared at it. Hecate nodded, urging her to grab it. When Cassie finally did, she felt warmth in her fingers. Hecate hummed in satisfaction. “That will do.”

“Thank you, Lady Hecate,” Cassie said sincerely.

Hecate nodded. “You cannot use magic outside Hogwarts before you’re seventeen, they can detect where magic is used. However, you will find that the camp is an exception, as it is protected and outside of their reach.” She explained. “You got your wand from me and I am not a Ministry of Magic certified wandmaker, so essentially your wand does not have a Registration Number, but I’ve got it all covered. You must make sure that none of the witches and wizards know the truth about you and everything in our world.”

“I understand.”

“I need you to swear on the River Styx that you are not going to tell anyone about what I told you, directly or indirectly.”

Cassie gulped. “I swear on the River Styx that I won’t tell a soul.” Cassie swore and a thunder boomed from afar. 

“Very well," Hecate said. "Have a good year at Hogwarts, Cassiopeia.” she added, and then she disappeared. 


	4. A New Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And then they were standing in a sea of fire.
> 
> Cassie panicked, thinking that she will burn. However, she was perfectly fine. She can't even feel the heat.
> 
> "Fire is your element, Cassie. You must conquer it."

When she came back to Camp Half-Blood, everyone was very excited about the stuff she bought in Diagon Alley. Apparently, after Hecate’s sudden appearance, Chiron had told them everything. Cassie didn’t have any problems with it, even though she wished they’d left out about the curse. Annabeth told them that Hestia won’t let it happen to Cassie though, so none of them was looking at her with pity. Instead, they were crowding her as soon as they saw her.

 

Everyone thought that Ash was cool, even though they were surprised about how wizards use owls to deliver letters. Perhaps technology isn’t good for them as well. They asked Cassie to show everything she bought in Diagon Alley, but Cassie wasn’t in the mood to do so, so she promised that she would later. She went to her cabin to settle down. Annabeth was with her, along with Pollux and Castor.

 

“I bought a lot of books,” Cassie told them. Annabeth nodded in approval. “I’m going to try to read all of them before school starts. I have like five months.”

 

“I can’t believe there’s a school for witches and wizards,” Castor said. ”What kind of things do you learn there?”

 

“Magic,” Pollux grinned at his twin.

 

Annabeth rolled her eyes. “Obviously.”

 

“Well, according to the book list in the letter, there's _History of Magic, Magical Theory, Transfiguration, Magical Herbs and Fungi, Magical Drafts and Potions, The Dark Forces, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_... and there’s also a _Standard Book of Spells_ ,” Cassie said.

 

“Awesome,” Pollux said. “None of them sounds boring like Mathematics or Chemistry.”

 

Cassie just laughed at that.

 

As she said, Cassie spent all of her free time reading. Whenever she wasn't practicing, whenever she wasn't doing anything, everyone will find her reading her textbooks. Annabeth borrowed her _History of Magic_ after she finished it; it was the first book she read because she wanted to know what happened in the Wizarding World. After that, she read _Modern Magical History_ , which was recommended by the bookseller. After that, she planned to read all the books that were required in her acceptance letter.

 

Cassie also asked Alabaster's--Al for short--help when she decided to start practicing spells. As the son of Hecate, Al can do magic, although in a different way than the wizards. He was kind enough to agree to help Cassie despite that (he doesn't need wands to channel his magic, and the spells he uses are also different). Cassie was just glad for any help she can get. Al didn't get along with a lot of campers though, he kinda got along with his siblings and with Luke (and Cassie), but he spent most of his time alone.

* * *

 

"When you were born, Cassie," Hestia started. They were sitting by the hearth. "I was not sure what to do." She said." I am not one of the Olympians. However, I am still the oldest of the Eldest Gods, Kronos and Rhea's firstborn. Sometimes people forget that." Hestia continued. "I do not have my own realms to rule, but that does not mean that I am powerless."

 

"On the contrary as the Eldest God, naturally I do have immense power." Hestia finally said. Cassie held her breath. She never wanted power. Hestia smiled at her gently. "Nor do I, my Child. However, the fact remains. I was worried about what you will be capable to do, so I sealed your power." She admitted.

 

"You sealed my power?" Cassie repeated.

 

"I sealed your power after you were born," Hestia confirmed. "Understand this, my Child, I do not do violence, and I can tell that you do not like them either." Cassie nodded. "But you are a Demigod. Monsters will come for you. You need your power to protect yourself." Hestia said. "I am going to lift the seal soon."

 

"Wait, Mom. What if I can't--what power do I have, exactly?" Cassie asked nervously. As Hestia pointed out, she was not fond of violence. She never wanted any power. Sure, she did train with other Demigods; that much was necessary for her survival. If Annabeth trained so that she could go on a quest as soon as possible, Cassie trained and hoped that she never has to go on a quest. Not because she was afraid--she'd fight Zeus himself if he was hurting the people she cared about--but because she preferred being here, at Camp Half-Blood. Her home. Baking cakes and reading books.

 

Hestia smiled as if she just read everything that was on Cassie's mind. "For starters, pyrokinesis."

 

"Fire?"

 

Hestia nodded. "Powers manifest differently in each Demigod, Cassie. Just because you are the child of the same god doesn't mean the power will manifest in the same way." Hestia said. "However, you are powerful. Other than pyrokinesis, you also inherited other powers connected to my domain such as bond manipulation, serenity inducement, and healing, to name a few."

 

"And cooking," Cassie added.

 

"And cooking." Hestia agreed.

 

Cassie didn’t say anything for a while as she processed what Hestia just told her. "I think I like the cooking power the most, Mom."

 

Hestia laughed. It was the most beautiful sound Cassie had ever heard. She wished she could make her mother laugh more. "So do I, Cassie." She said as she smoothed her hair. "So do I."

* * *

 

The campers went on a field trip to Olympus last December, which was incredible. Annabeth was nervous the whole trip because they disappointed her. Hestia, on the other hand, was there the whole time. Cassie caught Annabeth staring at her and her mother sadly when they walked side by side, her mother explaining things to her; she felt sorry for Annabeth.

 

At the beginning of January, Annabeth overheard Chiron talking about “Summer Solstice”. She insisted that Chiron was talking about ‘something important’—something that was stolen. Cassie had no idea what it was about, and they’d learned the hard way not to eavesdrop or involve themselves in “things that are not their business”, so Cassie did her best to make Annabeth forget about it by asking her to spar and asking her to help her look for information about the Wizarding World (and after she went on the shopping trip with Hecate, by pointing out interesting things she read from her textbooks and making Annabeth read them) which didn’t work most of the time, but sometimes it did.

 

Towards the end of May, they got a new camper. Cassie finally found out what Chiron and Grover have been up to. The boy came with Grover in the middle of the night, Cassie wasn’t asleep yet, but she was in her bunk, reading her books with her noise canceling earbuds on (something she got from Annabeth some years ago) because the camp was almost always noisy that it could be hard to concentrate. Annabeth just barged into her cabin and yanked Cassie out of her bunk, confusing the heck out of her. She dragged her to the Big House. They found the boy unconscious on the wooden porch.

 

“Is it him?” Annabeth asked a little bit too eagerly.

 

“Annabe—“

 

“He’s the one. He must be.” Annabeth said.

 

“Silence, Annabeth,” Chiron said in a warning tone. “He’s still conscious. Bring him inside.”

 

Cassie threw Annabeth a look and they both struggled to bring the boy inside.

 

When Annabeth was 10 (and Cassie was 9), Annabeth overheard the Great Prophecy. The first thing she did was--of course--telling Cassie about it. Ever since then, Annabeth had been obsessed about it; always wondering whether someone is “the one” whenever new campers came. The fact that Chiron told her that she won’t get a quest until ‘someone special’ comes to camp made it worse. So naturally, this boy wasn’t an exception.

 

Annabeth opened her mouth to say something, but Cassie beat her to it.

 

"We should let him rest, Ann," Cassie said. Chiron agreed with her, of course. He told them how the boy's mother was coming with him, but she was killed by the Minotaur. Cassie flinched at that. The boy would feel horrible once he wakes up.

 

"We'll help you take care of him." Annabeth offered.

 

That night, when Annabeth finally agreed to go to sleep, Cassie found herself in a strange place. There was nothing there, just a blank, black space. She could remember falling asleep in her bunk, so it must be a dream. She turned around because she felt someone there, only to find Hestia. Even though there wasn't any source of light, Cassie could see her clearly.

 

"Mom," she said, clearly relieved. "Where are we?"

 

"Nowhere," Hestia said.

 

Cassie frowned. It wasn't like her mother to talk in riddles. "O...kay?"

 

"Fire is considered as an element in our world, along with water, air, and earth. Do you know that, Cassie?"

 

Cassie shook her head.

 

"But fire is different from the other elements. Why do you think is that?"

 

Cassie gave it a thought. "Fire destroys to exist." She said thoughtfully.

 

Hestia nodded. "That's one side of it. It is true that fire kills more human more than natural disasters do." Hestia said. "Fire is wild and aggressive. It causes pain to any living thing it touches. " Suddenly there was raging fire all around them. "But it is also gentle." The raging fire was gone, replaced by a little bonfire.

 

And then they were somewhere Cassie didn't recognize. This time, Cassie didn't bother to ask where they were. They were on some sort of a hill, and in front of them, there were stones. Big, standing stones that looked really old. Cassie wasn't sure where they were, but she was sure that the stone made up a circle.

 

It was not a huge circle. Cassie felt a little bit uneasy, but she can't figure why.

 

"I am going to show you something," Hestia said. And then she put her hand on one of the stones. A few seconds stretched in silence. And then Hestia withdrew her hand. "Come, my child. Stay close."

 

Hestia went to the threshold of the stones, and Cassie followed closely behind. When she crossed it, she felt like she was going into an invisible room. The air grew heavier, and then Cassie started hearing sounds. Which did not make sense because they were alone in the middle of nowhere.

 

"Ignore the sounds," Hestia told her. "A lot of time is trapped here."

 

Cassie wanted to ask what that meant, but she felt like it wasn't the right time to ask questions. When they reached the center of the circle, Hestia stopped and turned to Cassie. Cassie stopped and stood right in front of her. Hestia closed her eyes for a few seconds, and then she told Cassie to step back. Cassie did, and Hestia followed. And then, something strange happened, which kind of reminded Cassie to the entrance to Diagon Alley from Leaky Cauldron.

 

A knot of darkness appeared in the grass. It spread, opening until it's as big as a hula hoop.

 

"Look down," Hestia instructed.

 

Doubtfully, Cassie inched closer to the hole and looked down. Thousands of mile below them, fire burns. It was beautiful. It was breathtaking. It was also a little bit scary.

 

"Fire," Hestia said. "Fire burns in the center of the earth. Fire feeds the earth." She waved her hand, and the hole was gone. And then they were back in Nowhere.

 

"Fire isn't just something you use to warm yourself and cook your meals. There was a reason why Prometheus stole fire from the Olympians; he could've stolen other things, but he stole fire. Fire is wild, Cassie. You must remember that." Hestia said. "I am not saying this to show you how powerful I am, nor how powerful you are. I am showing this so you can understand how dangerous fire is."

 

Cassie nodded. She was glad that they weren't in... wherever they were before. The stones, the hole, the center of the earth... it was as breathtaking as it was eerie.

 

"I am going to lift the seal I put on your powers."

 

Cassie's eyes widen. "Mom--" After the talk about fire being wild and dangerous, Cassie wasn’t thrilled to hear that. That was the thing she definitely did not want to hear.

 

"You cannot hurt anyone here." Hestia cut her. "You have to learn to control your powers. The rest will come naturally, but pyrokinesis... Fire is different, Cassie. We will not be going anywhere unless you learn to control it."

 

And then Hestia just stood there, not saying anything. Cassie thought that she was having second thoughts, but then she felt something, and then she felt like she was exploding. Something in her was exploding.

 

And then they were standing in a sea of fire.

 

Cassie panicked, thinking that she will burn. However, she was perfectly fine. She can't even feel the heat.

 

"Fire is your element, Cassie. You must conquer it."

* * *

 

"This is not working," Cassie said tiredly. She had no idea how much time has passed because there was no indication of time in Nowhere. It felt like they'd been there for days. And she still hasn't been able to stop the fire; they weren't standing in a sea of fire anymore, but there were still fire around them.

 

"You're getting the hang of it." Hestia encouraged.

 

Cassie wanted to say, _no, she wasn't getting the hang of it_ , but instead she just sighed and tried again. Her mother is a patient teacher, the most patient teacher Cassie has ever had. However, it was just hard.

 

After what felt like an eternity, Cassie was finally able to stop the fire. They were surrounded by darkness again. Cassie fell to the ground, exhausted.

 

"You did very well," Hestia said proudly as she helped her up.

 

Despite the exhaustion she felt, what Hestia said made her happy. "Thanks, Mom."

 

And then there was a pile of woods beside her.

 

"Now try starting a _little_ bonfire," Hestia said.

 

Cassie groaned. 

* * *

 

When Cassie opened her eyes, she found herself in Cabin twelve, on her perfectly comfortable bunk. She wondered if it was just a dream, but when she pointed a finger, a small fire was lit. She immediately tried to put it out, afraid that she'd set her bunk on fire, and found that she could put it out easily. Cassie concluded that her training session with Hestia wasn't a dream. Cassie wasn't sure how long Hestia spent training her to control her pyrokinesis, but it felt like weeks. It must've been weeks, at the very least. Cassie had no idea how that worked. She was glad that it's just been several hours in real life because she had a lot of things to do (and a lot of books to read). She would’ve missed a lot if she really was away for weeks.

 

As Annabeth promised Chiron, Cassie and Annabeth helped taking care of the boy--whose name is Percy. They helped watch over him and took care of him. They fed him as well. The boy was awake a few times, but he always drifted away quickly. Cassie tried to be there as much as she could because she knew Annabeth would bother him about the Summer Solstice thingy whenever she got the chance. Annabeth did just that when Percy was conscious for a minute, and Cassie scolded her for doing it. Seriously, Percy just lost her mother, and from what Grover told them, he knew nothing about their world. He wasn't aware that he was a part of their world.

 

And then, Cassie started seeing threads, which confused her at first but then she remembered. Bond manipulation. Of course. The threads were distracting so Cassie closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to make the threads invisible to her. It worked, so Cassie got up and made her bed with a good mood.

 

Percy was still not awake when Cassie and Annabeth checked on him after breakfast. He was still out cold, and Grover was watching over him, so Cassie and Annabeth went to the Sword and Shield class. They both weren't in the mood for it, so they ended up not participating. Cassie was busy with her _Magical Drafts and Potions_ book, while Annabeth was busy thinking.

 

After that, they wanted to check up on Percy, but Chiron was on the porch, playing pinochle with Mr. D. He stopped them to talk.

 

Chiron was telling them about how campers at cabin four and ten—Demeter’s and Aphrodite’s, were fighting because the Aphrodite kids were making fun of the Demeter kids, an occurrence that has repeated itself more often than Cassie preferred. Because Cassie was good at playing mediator, Chiron usually relied on her to help solve conflicts. Suddenly, Grover and Percy approached them.

 

“Mr. Brunner!” Percy cried. Chiron smiled and greeted him, and then told him to sit beside him. Percy glanced at Mr. D and shifted uneasily.

 

And then Chiron introduced Percy to them.

 

“Percy, this is Annabeth and Cassie. They nursed you back to health.” Annabeth kept staring at him calculatingly, while Cassie threw him a smile. “Girls, why don’t you check on Percy’s bunk? We’ll be putting him in cabin eleven for now.”

 

“Sure, Chiron,” Annabeth said. I nodded in agreement. Annabeth stared at Percy’s hand, which was holding the Minotaur horn. And then she looked at him right on his eyes and said. “You drool when you sleep.”

 

Cassie was going to whack her, but Annabeth was already sprinting down the lawn.

 

Cassie shook her head. “Sorry for that, Percy. It’s nice meeting you.” She said. And then she went after Annabeth, determined to give her a good smack for embarrassing the new camper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
